Is this a phrase you find yourself asking after you've just achieved a goal? I mean, you've worked hard and let your Spirit drive in order to get there. So, once you've achieved your goal, you might be asking, "Now what?"

It's funny when you're a goal-oriented person because you often feel like you always have to be working toward a goal. You might not take the time to reflect on your success and give yourself a pat on the back to appreciate your progress.

I experienced something similar last week. Not only was publishing my book one of my goals, it's been on my bucket list for 10 years! I have to admit that I had a few moments of feeling like I had accomplished one of the biggest goals of my life. I found myself asking, "How can I top this?" and "What should I focus on next?" Yes, my Personality was driving.

Instead of focusing on shifting Gears and getting to the next goal, I recommend sitting in Neutral for awhile so that you can do the following:

Appreciate the successes you had along the way. This is especially true with the goals that we classify as biggies. We get so focused on checking something off of our list, that we might not appreciate all of the smaller successes it took to get here. One of my smaller successes was putting together a publishing and marketing team in a few months even though I had never done anything like that before.

Reflect on the struggles you had during the journey. Don't forget to pay attention to the struggles you had because you can learn the most from them. When did a seemingly insurmountable obstacle get in your way? How did that obstacle take you in a different direction to get you where the Universe wanted you to be? When publishing both my e-book and paperback, I had some last-minute changes come up that caused us to come uncomfortably close to the deadlines I had set. After taking some time to make those changes, I noticed that there were some other critical areas of the book that I wanted to alter as well.

Consider what this goal means for your life. If you have a bucket list, you will have some fun goals (one of mine is getting another tattoo) and others will be more meaningful. Either way, consider what achieving this goal means for your life. How has it changed you as a person? What will you do differently in your life now that you have checked off this goal?

Show gratitude. You could show gratitude by meditating or praying about it. Thank those in your life who helped you (and even those who didn't). Remember that the naysayers also can push you forward without your realizing it. I even thank my naysayers in my book and recognize how their words pushed me in a certain direction.

Once I got my Spirit back in the driver's seat, I realized that it wasn't about topping what I had done. Publishing my book is a big accomplishment and is only the beginning of even better things. I spent most of the weekend in Neutral so that I would have the clarity I needed to move forward when it feels right.

Rev. Leila Johnson's book, Driving to Success: Let Your Spirit Take the Wheel, is a spiritual retreat for overachieving entrepreneurs and professionals who want to redefine the answer to "What do you want to be when you grow up?". Leila is President and Co-Owner of Data-Scribe, an information technology systems integration and modernization firm providing services to businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. As part of her journey on the road of life, Leila has earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and in the Metaphysical Sciences. She also holds her Master of Divinity and is an ordained reverend. Prior to starting her business, Leila worked as a call center coach, curriculum developer, and trainer in the financial and insurance industries.

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